This week’s paper is out now and includes a free lifestyle magazine.Here are the headlines making the rest of the paper:
Cancer heroes have done it again – the Teesdale Branch of Cancer Research UK donates £95k.
Christmas wonder – pictures from festive events across the dale
General Election – what your candidates have to say.
Protests over plans to build 74 homes in Staindrop.
Dale primary school is acclaimed as one of the best in the country.
Court – round-up of latest cases from the dale.
Safety campaign for A68 in Toft Hill.
Mind the gap – council accused of doing ‘half a job’ with line painting.
Rallying to help stray dog charity set up by ex-student
Free Christmas lunch for over 60s in Evenwood.
Armed raid at store.
Why old-fashioned cookery classes are making a comeback in Teesdale.
Butterknowle primary wins award for championing the great outdoors.
New 24-hour petrol service comes to the rescue in Mickleton.
Kids from the Gaunless Valley are at the coal face through art.
450th anniversary of how Barney defenders helped thwart a rebellion.
Farming – under starters orders for the toughest horse race in the world.
Plus letters, community news, arts and what’s on, motors, classified, personal announcements and grassroots sport.
![A COUNTY councillor is backing a campaign to get a pedestrian crossing in Staindrop. Frustrated parish councillors in the village summoned their county council representative Cllr George Richardson to their latest meeting to discuss several issues, including the call for a safe way to cross the A688. Earlier this year their request for a crossing was turned down by the county council’s highways officers. Parish council chairman Jonothan Raper described the reasons for the refusal as “spurious” and called on Cllr Richardson to support their campaign. He added: “One of the arguments they made was there is no clear line of desire when they studied the village – well this isn’t a clear line of desire because there isn’t a crossing, people cross whenever they can. “When the lollipop person was there, one of the things I noticed was people would walk all the way down to the lollipop person to cross the road to go to the shop or to go to the school.” He added a problem of parking at the primary school is exacerbated because people are too afraid to walk their children across the road. Cllr Richardson said he had supported previous attempts for a crossing point with the first being made about 15 years ago. He added: “We went fairly well down the road with that and they looked into it. The only recommended place was where the bus stop is and to get the visibility splays, people on the other side of the road would lose their parking. “That didn’t go down well so it just died a death.” Cllr Raper said he suspected the real reason for the officers’ refusal was the cost of installing a crossing. He added that much of the cost could be recovered from savings made on not having to employ a lollipop patrol. Cllr Raper said: “A lollipop person only provides a benefit of crossing for three hours of the day. You are getting 21 extra hours of crossing time [with a pedestrian crossing].” Cllr Richardson said he would raise the issue with the county council’s cabinet member for highways, Cllr John Shuttleworth.](https://teesdalemercury.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/georgeR-120x86.jpg)
